Although the 2011 campaign season in Phillipsburg is long over, Mayor Harry Wyant Jr. was in court last week to answer claims he violated the town's political sign law.

Resident Blaine Fehley, who runs phillipsburgraw.com, filed a complaint alleging two of Wyant’s election signs were not removed from two buildings in a timely fashion.

The town ordinance, which council enacted since Wyant has served as mayor, states the placement of political signs shall be limited to 60 days prior to an election, and must be removed within five days after the election to which they apply.

Wyant said the signs in question were displayed in two locked, vacant buildings on Sitgreaves and South Main streets.

“The prosecutor said the ordinance was unconstitutional because it violated the First Amendment right for free speech,” Wyant said about his day in North Hunterdon municipal court. “He also said I also had no access to the building in question to remove the signs in accordance to the ordinance that is not valid.”

The judge agreed with the prosecutor and dismissed the case because the ordinance is invalid, Wyant said.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Wyant asked officials to instruct town attorney Richard Wenner to re-write the ordinance, “So somebody in the future doesn’t have to answer a court call like I had to.”